“The porch is enjoying a comeback,” declares Hendersonville interior designer Harry Deaton.
“Years ago, people would gather on their porches quite often for dinner, for afternoon tea with friends. It was very much a part of the house,” says Harry. “For some reason, the porch became ‘the forgotten room.’ I think you should decorate it and treat it as nicely as you would any other room in the house.”
When Senator Tom Apodaca and his wife Lisa decided to move to Downtown Hendersonville, they enlisted Harry to help plan their new home.
“Tom and Lisa moved from a house with a large yard, so outdoor space was absolutely essential,” says Harry. The Apodacas reclaimed a barren corner on the rooftop of their condominium and transformed it into a lush, secluded oasis that is the most popular “room” in the house.
The terrace opens to a covered porch that is furnished much like a living room, with all the accoutrements: black wicker furniture with plush red cushions from Dreamweaver in Hendersonville, cocktail tables, table lamps, and even a television. A chest of drawers, repurposed from one of the boys’ rooms, serves as extra storage. Drapes striped in red, gold and brown soften the transition from the porch to a sunny open deck. The drapes, made by Harry’s husband Joe, are of Sunbrella fabric, known for its hardy weather resistance.
The porch flourishes with greenery year-round thanks to a container garden designed by Faith Gerlach of A Growing Concern in Hendersonville. Easy-to-maintain plants were selected to withstand the wind and sun of the rooftop climate.
In the mornings, the terrace offers a quiet place for coffee, the newspaper and some sun. In the evening, it’s a great place to wind down with an al fresco dinner or to kick back and watch television. “We use this porch all year round,” says Lisa. “It’s like having our own secret sanctuary.”
Local Resources: Harry Deaton Interiors – interior design; Dreamweaver – furniture; A Growing Concern – plantsdeaton